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Zachary Mulholland’s previous treatment of Lane Community College President Stephanie Bulger is absolutely inexcusable. There is no justification for disrespect or attempted intimidation in any adult conversation, especially one between elected and appointed executives. One should never shout at, curse or disrespect any colleague, particularly when the colleague represents multiple marginalized communities.
By contrast, I am vastly impressed by the grace with which Bulger conducts herself. She has shown immense poise by declining to engage in retributory or incendiary responses, even with the awareness that she has the full public support of our community.
Thomas Jefferson wrote, “All men are created equal,” yet he owned over 600 slaves. Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, but he ordered the largest mass execution in U.S. history, involving 38 Dakota men. Winston Churchill held the United Kingdom together during World War II, but he oversaw and exacerbated an enormous famine that killed millions in British-colonized India.
Mulholland ignored, dismissed and bullied the president of Lane Community College.
Pop quiz: Of the four individuals confronted with their egregious behavior, which one of them owned it, publicly apologized, and committed to doing better? Hint: It wasn’t Lincoln.
I was one of the more than 100 people who attended the Lane Community College Board of Education meeting in early September. I watched the LCC Board members unanimously, stringently and publicly censure Mulholland, and I watched his humble acceptance of the censure. He issued a profuse apology addressing his inappropriate behavior and the even more inappropriate, inherent mindset that overrode common sense and manifested as terrible conduct.
Along with others in the room, I heard a comment stating Mulholland’s apology did not seem sincere. I would venture to say that, like the impact of his harmful behavior, it is not up to any outsider to determine the sincerity or intent of his words.
Speaking of words, here’s another pop quiz: What speaks louder than words? The answer is action.
Before and since the censure, Mulholland has taken giant steps to try to repair the colossal damage he has inflicted. Along with the rest of the LCC board members who were implicated in the investigative report, he is undergoing training to use effective and respectful communication.
Independently, he has courageously approached specific complainants as well as the Eugene-Springfield NAACP to apologize and demonstrate openness to redirection.
Mulholland’s impact on this community before this point has been overwhelmingly beneficial. While I have not had the privilege to work directly with him, our social and civic service events frequently overlap. He’s known for his environmental justice work with Beyond Toxics. And as a member of the city of Eugene’s Budget Committee, he’s been in some incredibly tough conversations. He was tireless in his efforts to drum up support for the city of Eugene’s proposed fire service fee that was later repealed. His heart for service has shown in multiple electoral campaigns and countless hours of volunteerism.
As a woman of color, I am no stranger to racial or gender bias, whether conscious or unconscious. I appreciate the work my husband does as president of Eugene-Springfield NAACP (my opinion here is my own and in no way intended to reflect NAACP). However, even my own lived experience and advocacy efforts do not grant me immunity from the consequences of thoughtless words.
Last weekend at the Freedom Fund event by Eugene-Springfield NAACP, a well-intentioned yet intrusive statement escaped my own mouth, and the next day, a person reached out to let me know how my heedless words had affected them. I am absolutely mortified that I inadvertently caused emotional harm to a person I deeply admire, and I am thankful that they accepted my abject apology and committed to helping me learn how to do better.
I hope we’ve all experienced redemptive forgiveness at some point in our lives. I am a Christian, and I was taught that Jesus flipped tables and whipped people who were doing wrong. I also believe that every single person he flipped and whipped is eligible to repent and enter his kingdom.
In a community where LCC literally changes lives, we can determine whether someone’s entire career should go up in flames, or we can seize this opportunity to heal together. In today’s cancel culture, the easy response is to ostracize and demonize a person, based on a snapshot in time. It requires more thought and intentionality to give them space to grow and improve.
If Mulholland is willing to put in the work, then so can we. Together we can all become better.
